Brain scans reveal Stress's toll on aging minds

NCT ID NCT05273996

Ongoing Knowledge-focused Sponsor: David Steffens Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study looks at how stress influences long-term mood and thinking in 75 older adults with depression. Participants receive standard antidepressant treatment while researchers track their depression severity, memory, and brain activity using MRI scans. The goal is to understand the links between stress, brain changes, and cognitive outcomes to inform future prevention strategies.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: antidepressants (sertraline, bupropion, desvenlafaxine)
What this could lead to: If successful, this study could reveal how stress impacts long-term mood and thinking in older adults with depression, pointing toward new ways to prevent cognitive decline.
What could go wrong: This is an observational analysis within a treatment study, not a test of a new drug. Results may not apply to all older adults with depression, and the small size (75 people) limits generalizability.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

cognitive disorder major depressive disorder

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

COGNITIVE CHANGE MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER NEUROTICISM STRESS

Contacts and locations

Locations

UConn Health

Farmington, Connecticut, 06030, United States

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